I am delighted to be joining the team at Wharfside Shopping Centre, my background is many years in retail and the last 20 years in shopping centre management. I am looking forward to using my experience to help all of us, our residents, our retailers, and our customers enjoy the time they spend at Wharfside.

We have a great looking centre which has the best views in the country, it is a pleasure to be part of the team. I live in Cornwall and consider myself Cornish by marriage, my wife was born in Carbis Bay. I have one son John, who is 25 and lives in Sunderland.

I will make a point of meeting all of you as soon as possible, I intend to be a regular face on the mall during the week and at weekends.

I am always available so please drop in and have a chat.

Peter Wood
Centre Manager

Robert Pulford, managing agent of the Wharfside, recently commissioned an energy audit which highlighted areas that may be improved in terms of energy consumption throughout the centre. Although some changes, for example switching to low-energy light bulbs are simple to incorporate, ideas on a grander scale have required further help to bring to fruition.

Pearn and Procter architects have again been invited to assist and are looking at ways to achieve these carbon reduction targets. The use of security gates will increase safety between midnight and 7a.m., making it possible to significantly reduce night time lighting levels, and therefore electricity usage. At the same time an overhaul of the service yard area will provide extra storage facilities and will regularize parking and deliveries, helping to improve things for everybody, not just the environment.

Taking over the cafe was not enough for Angie & Anne, it needed a new name and new image, not only did they repaint the front, changed the name to Blue Bay cafe within days of opening they also had plans on changing the interior.

In February this year, they closed for three weeks, reopening to a fresh enlarged interior with additional comfy seating areas, the window one being the favourite of many, they also obtained their drinks licence, installed WIFI, enhanced their menu, extended their hours of opening, so far the feed back has all been positive from locals and visitors alike, the changes have certainly increased their presence within the Wharfside Shopping Centre.

Introducing the new Costa Coffee Team at the Wharfside Shopping Centre - Becci Todd the store manager previously of Waterstones in Truro and her assistant manager Debs Trevethick formerly of Tesco St. Ives.

All the team members are new to Costa Coffee and are local to the Penzance area, we are all delighted to be here and loved the warm welcome we have received, a big “thanks” to all!

Southwest based architects Pearn and Procter were first involved with the Wharfside back in 1996 when they became responsible for interpreting the original concept drawings and preparing the detailed designs needed for construction of the new centre. Gradually the project came to life opening in 1999.

Warin Kelly, Senior Architect with Pearn and Procter said “We believe The Wharfside has been hugely successful in reinvigorating the centre of Penzance and successfully providing a link to the Harbourside Car Park. We are now very excited to be working with Charville Estates once again to further enhance the vitality of the area”.
Over the past few months extensive negotiations with the planning authorities have been successful in allowing alterations to the former music zone.

Works to the building fabric have resulted in the creation of a new retail unit which has now become home to Costa Coffee and in June we witnessed the relaunch of the Olive Farm Delicatessen. The larger, more adaptable unit, now houses a ground floor deli counter and a lively new mezzanine restaurant with superb views over the harbour.

Alongside these projects Pearn and Procter are also working to create a first floor viewing terrace. Located at the seaward end of the complex it will provide an open space where shoppers can relax and enjoy spectacular views of the picturesque coastline and St Michaels Mount. This terrace will also provide extra protection from wind driven rain to the mall outside New Look and Renaissance and to the stairs and escalators below.

And it doesnt stop there - the shopping experience will be further enhanced by alterations to the pavement on Wharf Road designed to create a welcoming continental cafe style atmosphere with safer, wider pavements and new landscaping. Work is due to start in November to be completed in time for Easter 2009.

“Watching the Wharfside Centre evolve into the success that it is today has been a huge pleasure and I always look forward to the warm welcome I receive every time I visit Penzance.” says Warin Kelly.